An interesting Arab-Byzantine fals - countermark? - need help with ID

[robinjojo]

I purchased this small late 7th century AD imitation of the standing follis of Constans II a couple of months ago, and just got around to photographing it today.

There's terribly unusual about the obverse, pretty much patterned after other standing emperor imitations that I have seen.  However, on the reverse there appears to be a symbol or figure under the M which is either a countermark or part of the die.  As far as I can determine this design looks like a seated figure with a chi rho above, but that is just a guess.  There's also another larger chi rho above the M.

If anyone can shed more light on this as well as the mint, I appreciate the help.  

Arab-Byzantine, AE fals Imitating Constans II, late 7th century AD.

3.84 grams

Edited July 16 by robinjojo

[DLTcoins]

This is an issue of Dimashq (Damascus), c. 670s-690. The symbol under the M is a star that is partly obscured by a die chip. The blundered Arabic legend around reads jaza hadha Dimashq wafiyat ("lawful this [fals in] Damascus true [weight]"). SICA-1, 564 (Goodwin type VI); Album 3517.3 (R).  

Edited July 17 by DLTcoins

[Edessa]

Dave is right on, as always. Just so happens I was looking at a similar issue that I purchased from Leu a couple of years ago. This is Leu's description:

Islamic, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. Mu'awiya I ibn Abi Sufyan, AH 41-60 / AD 661-680. Æ Fals (22mm, 4.91g, 3h), Arab-Byzantine type, probably an irregular mint. Obv: T/Λ/Є/O; Imperial figure standing facing, holding long cross in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. Rev: Large M in center; above, monogram; below, star; around, blundered Kufic legend reading 'darb dimashq ja'iz' ('current issue [of] Dimashq'). Ref: DOCAB 48 var. (inverted crescent instead of star); Goodwin & Gyselen p. 51, 21. Attractive earthen highlights. Very Fine. Ex Leu Numismatik (18 Jul 2022), Lot 3259. 

Goodwin & Gyselen make a note that this coin type is "Irregular, almost certainly not an issue of the main Damascus mint." There seems to be much discussion around which issues are irregular and how much control the authorities may have had over the irregular mints.

[robinjojo]

5 hours ago, DLTcoins said:

This is an issue of Dimashq (Damascus), c. 670s-690. The symbol under the M is a star that is partly obscured by a die chip. The blundered Arabic legend around reads jaza hadha Dimashq wafiyat ("lawful this [fals in] Damascus true [weight]"). SICA-1, 564 (Goodwin type VI); Album 3517.3 (R).  

Thank you!  Is that a chi rho above the star?

[DLTcoins]

1 hour ago, robinjojo said:

Thank you!  Is that a chi rho above the star?

It's a monogram of Heraclius, see Sear Byz. p. 32, no. 25. It's clearer on Edessa's example.

Edited July 17 by DLTcoins

[robinjojo]

I now see what you're referring to.  Thank you.

[robinjojo]

While we're on the subject of Arab-Byzantine fals of the late 7th century.  Is there an Album number for this coin?  It is rather crude with somewhat rough surfaces, which makes the coin tough to photograph decently, but the standing figure appears to be holding a bird instead of the usual cross. 

I've see other coins with a bird perched to the left, but not one, until this one, with a bird to the right.

Thanks

3.40 grams

Update;

I came across this description that I think suits this coin:

"Pseudo-Damascus" mint, probably located in Jordan. Products of this mint are characterized by lots of extra dots and squiggles. Cf. Album 3522.1. (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-small-group-of-byzantine-arab-ae-folles-from-the-7th-century-ad.388099/)

Edited July 17 by robinjojo

[Edessa]

Probably Album 3522.1, as this:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3312901

Seems that there are a bunch of variations, with birds to the left and right or even on both sides. The wavy ground line under the cursive M is unusual, but not unknown. Do a search on ACSearch with "arab byzantine bird 3522". Album identifies it as a Rare type.

[robinjojo]

2 minutes ago, Edessa said:

Probably Album 3522.1, as this:

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3312901

Seems that there are a bunch of variations, with birds to the left and right or even on both sides. The wavy ground line under the cursive M is unusual, but not unknown. Do a search on ACSearch with "arab byzantine bird 3522". Album identifies it as a Rare type.

Thank you!  I also edited my previous post with a similar description that I found on an old post of mine on Cointalk.